complete verse (Matthew 23:32)

Following are a number of back-translations of Matthew 23:32:

  • Uma: “So then, just go ahead and do the same kind of sins that your ancestors did!” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Go ahead, finish off the work of your ancestors.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “You’d better finish the bad doing that you ancestors didn’t finish.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Go-ahead then, continue to finish what your ancestors began!” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Go ahead! Complete the wickedness which was begun by your ancestors.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “What are you waiting for now? Go ahead and do just like your ancestors did long ago.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Matthew 23:32

Fill up (Good News Translation “Go on … and finish up”) has the meaning of “bring to completion” or “finish off” (New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible).

The measure of your fathers is more clearly translated “what your fathers began” (New English Bible), assuming that fathers is correctly understood to mean “ancestors.”

Traduction œcuménique de la Bible believes the reference to be to the murder of Jesus, though this information may not be allowed in the text.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1988. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .